


The One By Your Side

by xxenjoy



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: First Kiss, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Worried Geralt, protective Geralt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 02:07:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29502456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxenjoy/pseuds/xxenjoy
Summary: Geralt cares for Jaskier when he gets into a fight for sleeping with the wrong person.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 10
Kudos: 162





	The One By Your Side

Jaskier knows how Geralt hates when he sleeps around. It’s not at though he means to get them in trouble - he doesn’t go in intending to be chased out of bed by an angry spouse. He just has a lot of love to give and very limited time in which to give it so he finds whoever is willing to have him and maybe doesn’t ask all the necessary questions beforehand. Are you married, for example.

Which is how he’s ended up here, sitting in a tavern across town from the inn they’re staying at with a mug of ale, hiding. Well, avoiding really, he could never actually hide from Geralt if he wanted to find him. But the left side of his face throbs as it swells and he knows it must look just as bad, if not worse, than it feels. He just needs to wait a little while for the swelling to go down before returning to Geralt. He doesn’t need another lecture about who he chooses to spend his time with.

But his skin is still hot to the touch and it’s been an hour since the altercation. Jaskier’s ale is sitting unsipped and he’s growing tired. All he wants is to go curl up in his bed and move on to wherever they’re going next - hopefully a densely wooded forest with no angry husbands to speak of. But how was he to know the stablehand was married! Jaskier had simply taken Roach to be stabled and had promptly been swept off his feet by the handsome young man. It was hardly his fault. And yet he’s the one with the swollen face.

Across the room, the door swings open but Jaskier pays it little mind. The man made it clear he didn’t want to see him again and is therefor unlikely to come after him especially after so long and in such a public place. He isn’t worried. Not, at least, until the newcomer plops down across from him.

Jaskier jerks his head up quickly - too quickly, as his face begins to throb again - and comes face-to-face with Geralt looking unimpressed but unsurprised. Jaskier suddenly feels very small and very guilty.

“Who gave you that black eye?” he asks and Jaskier turns his head as if to hide it. “Jaskier, I’ve been worried, I thought- do you know how late it is?”

“I was hoping the swelling might go down some before I came back. I didn’t want you to be upset with me.”

“Upset?” Geralt asks, “Jaskier, there’s a werewolf running the streets at night, I thought you might be dead.” Oh. Jaskier doesn’t have time to consider any of that before Geralt is reaching across the table and touching his chin. He turns his head to better see the damage and sighs. “Come back to the inn, I’ll get this fixed up for you.”

“O-okay.”

Jaskier lets himself be led from the tavern and back across town, Geralt never getting more than a few feet away from him. When they reach the inn, they head upstairs together and Geralt sits him down on the bed as he digs through his pack.

“Why didn’t you just come back? I could have saved us both a lot of suffering if you’d let me fix that up for you when it happened.” Us both. Suffering. Meaning Geralt was suffering when he was gone? That doesn’t seem right.

“I know you don’t like when I sleep with the wrong person. I didn’t know he was married Geralt, honest.”

“You could try asking,” Geralt mutters. It’s quiet enough that Jaskier isn’t sure he’s supposed to hear it, but it’s what Geralt says next that really catches his attention. “I don’t like when you sleep with anyone.” It’s deliberate and Jaskier panics for a second before realizing it was intended as a joke. Probably. But that’s not at all how it comes across.

“Well, I’m sorry but I do have needs, Geralt.” He huffs and turns away, but Geralt crouches at his feet, gently tilting his head again.

“You choose terrible partners.”

“And I suppose you’d be better?”

“Yes.” Geralt’s head snaps up like he’s only just realized what he’s said. Jaskier’s heart stops for a moment before overcompensating and thudding against his chest. Oblivious or ignoring him, Geralt has already turned back to his task. But Jaskier isn’t done with this conversation, not by a long shot.

“Geralt,” he says carefully, peering down at him as Geralt opens a jar of salve and dips his fingers into it. Jaskier chokes at the smell of it. “Are you implying that you would be a better partner?”

Geralt remains silent other than the sound of his breath, steady and even as he spreads the salve over Jaskier’s cheek. It’s not until he’s screwing the cap back on the jar that he speaks again and Jaskier realizes he’s been holding his breath.

“You wouldn’t come back to me in pieces.”

This is all more than Jaskier knows how to handle at once and he acts without thinking, grabbing Geralt’s arm as he move to walk away. Geralt’s on his feet now so Jaskier has to crane his neck to look up at him and it hurts a little.

“Do you mean it?” he asks and Geralt’s shoulders stiffen for a moment before relaxing and he nods then ducks his head.

“I don’t like seeing you with them. Any of them. I always-” He curls his hands at his sides and huffs but Jaskier draws him back, tentatively pressing his hands against Geralt’s stomach.

“That’s why you get so angry with me? Not because you have to protect me but because you’re jealous?” Geralt grunts at him but Jaskier huffs a relieved laugh and tugs Geralt down into his lap. “The only reason I fuck them is to stop thinking about you.”

He presses up, intending to kiss him, but Geralt surprises him and does it first. It’s quick and chaste, but the feeling of Geralt’s mouth against his own sends shivers down his spine. When Jaskier opens his eyes again, Geralt is right there.

“If that’s the case,” he breathes, “I would very much like to take you to bed with me. So long as no one is going to chase me out of it and bruise my other eye.”

“I won’t let them,” Geralt hums, dipping down again to catch Jaskier’s mouth in a kiss.


End file.
